Walker Burroughs is a singer, songwriter, guitarist and piano player based in Nashville Tennessee. Best known as a top 8 finalist on American Idol, he toured nationally as the keyboard player in Bobby Bones’ band, and is presently playing shows with fellow Idol alum, season 8 winner Kris Allen. Walker is currently sponsored by Yomega Yo-Yos.
In this damn funny and musically moving conversation, Walker provides a bit of context for his life before Idol, highlighting his early influences as a member of a family of musicians and singers in the American south. After high school, he moved to Nashville to pursue a career in music, enrolling as a freshman at Belmont University. When his audition with American Idol went well, he suddenly found himself in the national spotlight, where his bell-tone voice and charming demeanor got him voted though round after round…
Until it didn’t.
He talks about the complicated feeling around that experience and provides a candid and hilarious perspective on what goes on behind the scenes at America’s most famous talent show.
We also get into his practices for maintaining a positive outlook on life and career, as well as his unusual free-associative bedtime songwriting habit.
As someone who kind of works constantly and has no hobbies, I was surprised and impressed to learn of Walker's ability to "turn it off" and find activities — like playing board games with his girlfriend — that have nothing to do with pushing forward a career in the arts. That said, occasionally the pastimes find their way into the professional, as with Walker's facility with the YoYo. He started incorporating YoYo tricks into his social media promo, and when he jestingly posted a request for sponsorship, Yomega answered.
That kind of light touch, along with his stellar voice and musicianship, has made him one of the fastest-rising stars on the folk scene.
Somewhere stuck in all this talking are a couple songs. I sat it with Walker on one on guitar, but the other was all him.
Find Walker:
Website: http://www.walkerburroughs.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/walkerburroughs/
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Thank you and stay passionate! Korby
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